Image reading apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A multifunction peripheral (MFP), which successively conveys a plurality of documents stacked on a document tray and reads the document, determines whether there is a difference among sizes of the plurality of documents in response to at least one of the documents being read by a scanner, in a case where a preview operation of a read image is performed, notifies a user of a possibility that documents having different sizes are mixed and read based on a result of the determination, enables a function of performing reading corresponding to respective document size of mixed size documents in which documents having different sizes are mixed, and provides navigation for prompting re-reading of the document.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/536,111, filed on Aug. 8, 2019, which claims the benefit of JapanesePatent Application No. 2018-162254, filed Aug. 31, 2018, each of whichis hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates to a technique for controlling an imagereading apparatus.

Description of the Related Art

In a case where an image reading apparatus such as a digital copyingmachine reads documents, there is a method for generating image data byreading the documents while conveying the documents one by one byautomatic document feeders (ADF).

According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-056803,there is discussed an image reading apparatus that can display a previewscreen of image data for confirming the image data obtained by reading adocument.

According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-350225,there is discussed an image reading apparatus that has a document sizemixed mode allowing conveyance and reading of documents having differentsizes.

SUMMARY

The above-discussed related art has drawbacks. For example, if documentshaving different sizes are conveyed and read in a mode other than thedocument size mixed mode, a size of a part of image data will bedifferent from a document size. If the image data is confirmed using theabove-described preview in this state, a following state occurs.

In simple preview display of image data as described in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2010-056803, it is difficult for a user torecognize that mixed size documents in which documents having differentsizes are mixed are read, and a size of a part of image data isdifferent from a size of the document. Even if a user can recognize thesituation, a user who does not know existence of the document size mixedmode does not know that the user can reread the document by changing tothe document size mixed mode as a recovery method. Accordingly, there isan issue that image data generated in a size different from a documentsize against user's expectation is output, for example, printed, stored,and transmitted.

In consideration of the above-discussed drawbacks of related art, thepresent disclosure discloses, among other things, a mechanism thatenables a user to easily recognize that mixed size documents are read,and thus a size of a part of image data is different from a size of thedocument.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an image readingapparatus includes a display, at least one memory storing instructions,and at least one processor executing the instructions causing the imagereading apparatus to successively convey a plurality of documentsstacked on a document stacking tray and read the documents, determine,in response to at least one of the plurality of documents being read,whether there is a difference among respective sizes of the plurality ofread documents, notify, in a case where a preview screen of an imagecorresponding to the read document is displayed on the display, a userof a possibility that documents having different sizes are mixed andread based on a result of the determination, enable a function ofperforming reading corresponding to respective size of the plurality ofdocuments, and provide navigation for prompting re-reading of theplurality of documents based on the result of the determination.

Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of an image reading apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate examples of preview screens of the imagereading apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating operation of preview display.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating operation of thumbnail display.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a screen for displaying unmatchinginformation in thumbnail display.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a preview display step.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of size guide display.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a reading interruptionstep in detail.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of aconfiguration of a scanner.

FIG. 10 is a plan perspective view of an automatic document feeder (ADF)viewed from above.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure will bedescribed below with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of an image reading apparatus according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

In FIG. 1, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) 101 is an example of theimage reading apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

A central processing unit (CPU) 111 performs various types of controlsuch as reading control and transmission control by reading a controlprogram stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 112 or a storage 114 to arandom access memory (RAM) 113 and executing the read control program.

The ROM 112 stores various programs and various data.

The RAM 113 is a main storage memory for the CPU 111 and is used as atemporary storage area for loading a control program stored in a workarea and the storage 114.

The storage 114 stores image data, various programs, various pieces ofhistory information, various pieces of setting information, and thelike.

An operation unit 115 includes a liquid crystal display unit having atouch panel function and a keyboard and functions as a reception unitfor receiving an instruction from a user and a display unit fordisplaying information for the user.

A printer 116 prints an image on a sheet based on image data.

A scanner 117 includes an image reading unit (hereinbelow, referred toas “reader”) 200 for reading an image on a document and an automaticdocument feeder (hereinbelow, referred to as “ADF”) 100 as illustratedin FIG. 9 described below. The scanner 117 reads an image on a documentset on the ADF or a document placed on a document positioning glassplate 222 and generates image data. A network interface (I/F) 118 is aunit for connecting with a network such as a LAN 100.

A configuration of the scanner 117 is described in detail below withreference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of aconfiguration of the scanner 117 illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a plan perspective view of the ADF 100 viewed from the above.

The CPU 111 monitors an output of a document detection sensor 16arranged in a document stacking tray (hereinbelow, referred to as “adocument tray”) 30 and determines whether a document bundle S is stackedon the document tray 30 based on the output of the document detectionsensor 16.

In a case where a user inputs a document reading start instruction viathe operation unit 115, the CPU 111 executes document reading processingby the scanner 117. If the document bundle S is stacked on the documenttray 30 in a case where a user inputs the document reading startinstruction, the CPU 111 reads the document by “flow reading”. In “flowreading”, a document in the document bundle S stacked on the documenttray 30 is read by a reading unit 229 which is stopped at apredetermined position while being conveyed by the ADF 100.

A single-sided document reading operation (a single-sided flow readingoperation) for reading a side of a document using the ADF 100 isdescribed below. However, a double-sided document reading operation forreading both sides of the document may be performed.

The ADF 100 includes the document tray 30 as a document stacking tray onwhich the document bundle S including one or more document sheets isstacked, a separation pad 8 and a separation roller 2 for regulating thedocument bundle S not to protrude from the document tray 30 and movedownstream before starting document conveyance, and a sheet feed roller1.

The document tray 30 is provided with the document detection sensor 16and thus can determine presence or absence of a document on the documenttray 30. The document tray 30 is also provided with length sensors 10and 11. The CPU 111 can detect a size of the document bundle S on thedocument tray 30 in a document conveyance direction (document length)based on detection results of the length sensors 10 and 11 andinformation stored in the ROM 112. Guide plates 22A and 22B, which canmove in a direction perpendicular to the document conveyance direction,are provided on the document tray 30. An operator places the documentbundle S on the document tray 30 and sets the guide plates 22A and 22Bby adjusting to a width of the document bundle S (brings the guideplates 22A and 22B into contact with the stacked document bundle S).Both sides of the document bundle S along the document conveyancedirection can be aligned in parallel to the conveyance direction by theguide plates 22A and 22B. A width between the guide plates 22A and 22Bis detected by a sensor (hereinbelow, referred to as a “guide platewidth sensor”) which is not illustrated. The CPU 111 can detect a sizeof the document bundle S stacked on the document tray 30 in a directionperpendicular to the document conveyance direction (document width)based on a detection result of the above-described guide plate widthsensor and information stored in the ROM 112 and the like.

An operation of “document size detection on the document tray” isdescribed.

In the operation of “document size detection on the document tray”, thedocument size detection is performed based on a combination of detectionof the size in the document conveyance direction (document length) bythe above-described length sensors 10 and 11 and detection of a size ina document main scanning direction (document width) by the guide platewidth sensor. Accordingly, sizes of a plurality of documents can bedetected in one set before conveyance of the documents. The “documentsize detection on the document tray” is executed, for example, in stepS301 in FIG. 3 described below. In a document reading operationperformed not in “the document size mixed mode”, the CPU 111 performscontrol to read the document according to the document size obtainedbased on the above-described “document size detection on the documenttray”.

An ADF cover unit 32 holds the sheet feed roller 1 and the separationroller 2. The sheet feed roller 1 falls onto a document surface of thedocument bundle S stacked on the document tray 30 and rotates. With thisoperation, the document on top of the document bundle S is fed. Thedocument fed by the sheet feed roller 1 is separated from the bundle Sby an action of the separation roller 2 and the separation pad 8. Theseparation is implemented by a known separation technique. Theabove-described guide plates can regulate movement of the document inthe direction perpendicular to the document conveyance direction at atime of document separation and reduce skewed conveyance of thedocument.

A conveyance roller 20 is arranged on a downstream side of theseparation roller 2 in the document conveyance direction and conveys thedocument separated by the separation roller 2 and the separation pad 8.A registration roller 3 is a conveyance roller, which is arranged on thefurther downstream side of the conveyance roller 20, for conveying thedocument. The registration roller 3 corrects skew feeding of thedocument.

A sheet feeding path for conveying the document in a direction toward aflow reading glass 221 is arranged on the downstream side of theregistration roller 3. The document conveyed to the sheet feeding pathis conveyed to a flow reading position by a conveyance roller 4. Thedocument passing between the flow reading glass 221 and a facing member5 is irradiated with light by a light source 261. Reflected light fromthe document is deflected by a plurality of mirrors 224, 225, and 226,and an image of the document is read line by line by an image readingunit 260.

The document that has passed through the flow reading position isconveyed by a conveyance roller 6, proceeds while pushing up a flapper9, and then is conveyed by a sheet discharge roller 7 to a sheetdischarge tray 31.

In a case where a plurality of documents is stacked on the document tray30, the ADF 100 repeats sheet feeding from the document bundle S,separation, conveyance processing, reading processing at the flowreading position, and sheet discharge processing described above untilreading and discharging to the sheet discharge tray 31 of a lastdocument is completed.

As described above, the scanner 117 reads documents by successivelyconveying a plurality of documents stacked on the document tray 30 ofthe ADF 100.

Various sheet sensors (12, 21, 13, 14, and 15) are arranged on aconveyance path of the document, and these sheet sensors detect eachdocument conveyed by the ADF 100.

The sheet sensor 12 detects a leading edge and a trailing edge of thedocument. The CPU 111 can detect a length of a side of the document,i.e., a length of the document in a sub-scanning direction (documentconveyance direction) for each sheet of the document based on a timedifference between detection of the leading edge and detection of thetrailing edge of the document by the sheet sensor 12 and a conveyancespeed of the document during the conveyance by the ADF 100.

A width sensor 21 detects a width of the document separated and fed bythe ADF 100. The width of the document represents a length of thedocument in the main scanning direction (direction perpendicular to thedocument conveyance direction). The width sensor 21 includes a pluralityof sensors as illustrated in FIG. 10. The CPU 111 can detect the widthof the document for each sheet of the document based on whether each ofthe sensors detects the document or not and information stored in theROM 112 and the like. The sheet sensors 13, 14, and 15 detect theleading edge and the trailing edge of the document, and detectionresults of these sheet sensors are used for various control timings.

Now, an operation of “document size detection in the document size mixedmode” according to the present exemplary embodiment is described. In“the document size mixed mode” according to the present exemplaryembodiment, the document size detection is performed based on acombination of detection of the size in the document conveyancedirection (document length) by the above-described length sensors 10 and11 and detection of the size in the document main scanning direction(document width) by the width sensor 21. As described above, the size inthe document conveyance direction (document length) can be detected bythe sheet sensor 12. However, a compact ADF, which has a relativelyshort document conveyance path to a document reading start position,cannot complete detection of the document length by the time when thedocument reaches the reading start position in some cases. Thus, in “thedocument size mixed mode” according to the present exemplary embodiment,the configuration is adopted in which the size in the documentconveyance direction (document length) is detected using the lengthsensors 10 and 11. The “document size detection in the document sizemixed mode” is executed, for example, in step S307 in FIG. 3 describedbelow. In the document reading operation in “the document size mixedmode”, the CPU 111 performs control to read the document in the documentsize determined based on the “document size detection in the documentsize mixed mode”.

With this configuration, in a case where documents, which have a samedocument width but different document lengths such as an A3 document andan A4 document, are combined and loaded in a mixed state, the lengthsensors 10 and 11 detect the A4 document and the A3 document mixed withthe A4 document in the document size mixed mode according to the presentexemplary embodiment. Thus, the A4 document is determined as having adetected size of A3 and read as the A3 document. Therefore, acombination of document sizes in which documents can be mixed and loaded(document size mixed loading is permitted) and a combination of documentsizes that cannot be mixed and loaded (document size mixed loading isprohibited) are set in the document size mixed mode according to thepresent exemplary embodiment. For example, a combination of documentsizes which are different in document widths such as A3 and B4 can bemixed and loaded. Combinations of documents that can be mixed include,for example, combinations of A3 and B4, A3 and B5, B4 and A4, A4 and B5,A4R and B5, B4 and A4R, B4 and A5, B5 and A5, ledger and legal, ledgerand folio, and ledger and half letter. Ledger, legal, folio, and halfletter respectively represent sheet sizes of 11×17 inches, 8.5×14inches, 8.5×13 inches, and 5.5×8.5 inches.

On the other hand, combinations of document sizes with the same documentwidth such as the above-described A3 and A4, A4 and A5, and B4 and B5cannot be mixed and loaded.

Depending on the configuration of the ADF (e.g., a large-size ADF),detection of the document length can be completed before the documentreaches the reading start position in some cases. In a case where suchan ADF is used, combinations of all of readable document sizes may beregarded as the combinations of document sizes that can be mixed andloaded.

The display unit (not illustrated) in the operation unit 115 of the MFP101 can display a preview screen of an image corresponding to the readdocument. The preview screen is described in detail below.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate examples of preview screens displayed on theoperation unit 115 of the MFP 101.

In FIGS. 2A and 2B, preview screen portions 201, 205, 210, and 212 areareas for displaying preview screens. A preview operation is to displayimage data obtained by reading a document (image corresponding to thedocument) for confirming the image data before output (e.g., print,storage, and transmission). Display of the preview screen portionsillustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B is shifted in order of the preview screenportions 201, 205, 210, and 212. The preview screen portions aredescribed below in sequence.

The preview screen portion 201 represents a preview screen in a casewhere a preview is performed at a time when reading of a first sheet ofdocuments is completed by setting the documents including a plurality ofsheets having different document widths (e.g., A3 and B4 mixed sizedocuments) on the ADF 100 that is not in the document size mixed mode.

A preview image 202 is a preview image of the first sheet of thedocument.

Size display 203 indicates size information of the read image data.

In a case where the ADF 100 is not in the document size mixed mode, sizedetection (above-described “document size detection on the documenttray”) is performed once by regarding a plurality of sheets of documentsplaced on the document tray 30 of the ADF 100 as one set. Accordingly, asize to be detected corresponds to a size of the document having amaximum width or a maximum length.

On the other hand, in a case where the ADF 100 is in the document sizemixed mode, size detection (above-described “document size detection inthe document size mixed mode”) is performed each time a sheet in theplurality of sheets of the documents placed on the document tray 30 ofthe ADF 100 is read. Thus, a size of each read document different insize can be detected. In the document size mixed mode, size detection isperformed each time a sheet is read, and an image corresponding to thedetected size is generated, so that a reading speed is slower than thatin a case where the ADF 100 is not in the document size mixed mode. Areading speed is prioritized in a default operation of a scanner, andthus the scanner is commonly not in the document size mixed mode.

In the preview screen portion 201, information about size detection(“A3” in this example) performed regarding a plurality of sheets of thedocuments (document bundle S) placed on the document tray 30 of the ADF100 as one set is displayed as the size display 203 since the ADF 100 isnot in the document size mixed mode.

Page display 204 is information indicating a number of a page in whichthe image data is located in a total number of the read documents. Thepreview screen portion 201 displays “1/1” since the preview display isthe one at the time when reading of the first sheet of documents iscompleted.

The preview screen portion 205 represents the preview screen at the timewhen reading of the second sheet of the documents is completed.

A preview image 206 is a preview image of the second sheet of thedocuments. The preview image 206 represents a state in which the secondsheet of the documents actually has a “B4” size but is detected as A3 by“document size detection on the document tray”, and thus the previewscreen is displayed as an “A3” image.

Information 207 notifies a user that there is a possibility that thedocuments having different sizes are mixed and read, and the secondsheet of the documents is read as “A3”, but a size of an originaldocument is likely to be different.

An operation key 208 is used for continuing reading of the document. Ifthe operation key 208 is pressed in the state exemplified in the previewscreen portion 205, reading of a next document is started whilemaintaining the image data of the preview image 206 as “A3”.

An operation key 209 is used for changing the mode to “the document sizemixed mode” and re-reading the document.

An operation key 214 is used for performing trimming processing on theimage data on the preview screen. A user can correct (edit) the readimage data to the size of the original document by the trimmingprocessing without performing re-reading.

The preview screen portion 210 represents the preview screen immediatelyafter pressing the operation key 209.

Information 211 notifies the user of replacement of the document on theADF 100 for re-reading in “the document size mixed mode”. In re-readingin a case where all pages of the documents are replaced on the ADF 100,all pages may be re-read in the document size mixed mode, and a targetpage or subsequent pages may be re-read in the document size mixed modeafter skipping to the target page. In addition, the target page and thesubsequent pages may be re-read in the document size mixed mode afterplacing the target page and the subsequent pages of the documents on theADF 100.

If an operation key 215 is pressed in the state exemplified in thepreview screen portion 210, re-reading in the document size mixed modeis performed, the size detection is performed for each sheet of thedocuments, and the second sheet of the documents is read as a “B4”sheet.

The preview screen portion 212 represents the preview screen at the timewhen the above-described operation key 215 is pressed, and re-reading ofthe second sheet of the documents in “the document size mixed mode” iscompleted. A preview image 213 represents a state in which the previewscreen is displayed as a B4 image that has the same size as the actualsize of the second sheet of the documents. In a case where documentshaving different sizes are included, the above-described “document sizedetection in the document size mixed mode” is performed, and reading andpreview display are performed in appropriate sizes since the mode ischanged to the document size mixed mode. As described above, in a casewhere a read size is different from a document size, the MFP 101 canprovide navigation for prompting a user to re-read the document byenabling the document size mixed mode (function of distinguishing mixedsize documents including documents having different sizes and performingreading corresponding to the respective sizes of the documents).

If the operation key 208 is pressed in the above-described previewscreen portion 205, the above-described “navigation for re-reading inthe document size mixed mode” is skipped, and reading of a next documentis started while maintaining the size as it is.

Operations relating to the preview display by the MFP 101 are describedbelow with reference to FIG. 3. The operations regarding the previewdisplay are executed when a job for reading a document and performingoutput based on the read image such as a copy job (reading and printingthe document), a storage job (reading and storing the document), and atransmission job (reading and transmitting the document) is executed.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operations regarding the previewdisplay by the MFP 101. Each operation (step) illustrated in theflowchart in FIG. 3 is implemented by the CPU 111 of the MFP 101 readinga control program stored in the ROM 112 or the storage 114 to the RAM113 and executing the control program.

In step S301, the CPU 111 performs the above-described “document sizedetection on the document tray” to detect a size regarding a pluralityof documents set on the document tray 30 of the ADF 100 in the scanner117 as one set and stores “a detected size” in the RAM 113. In a casewhere a reading instruction by pressing of a start key (not illustrated)provided on the operation unit 115 is received, the CPU 111 advances theprocessing to step S302.

In step S302, the CPU 111 starts reading the document using the ADF 100in the scanner 117 based on “the detected size”. In other words, the CPU111 reads the document in “the detected size”.

Next, in step S303, the CPU 111 generates image data based on readingprocessing performed in the above-described step S302. At that time, theCPU 111 also generates image data of a thumbnail image. The image datagenerated in step S303 are accumulated in the storage 114.

Next, in step S304, the CPU 111 displays a preview screen of the imagedata generated in the above-described step S303 on the display unit (notillustrated) in the operation unit 115.

Next, in step S305, the CPU 111 determines whether “the detected size”coincides with “a length in the conveyance direction”. “The length inthe conveyance direction” is measured by the CPU 111 based on adetection result by the sheet sensor 12 during conveyance of thedocument by the ADF 100 in the reading processing in the above-describedstep S302 and is determined by being compared with a length in thedocument conveyance direction of “the detected size”. The CPU 111performs control described below based on a determination result.

In a case where it is determined that “the detected size” coincides with“the length in the conveyance direction” (YES in step S305), the CPU 111determines that the size of the read document coincides with “thedetected size” and advances the processing to step S315. For example, inthe state exemplified in the preview screen portion 201 in FIG. 2A, itis determined as “YES” in the above-described step S305.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined that theabove-described “detected size” does not coincide with “the length inthe conveyance direction” (NO in step S305), the CPU 111 determines thatthe size of the read document is different from “the detected size”,i.e., the sizes of the documents on the document tray 30 are differentfrom each other. In this case, the CPU 111 advances the processing tostep S306. For example, in the state exemplified in the preview screenportion 205 in FIG. 2A, it is determined as “NO” in the above-describedstep S305.

In step S306, the CPU 111 stores information indicating size unmatching(the read size does not coincide with the document size) in associationwith target image data determined that the sizes do not coincide witheach other (NO) in the above-described step S305 in the storage 114.This is because the size unmatching information is to be displayedtogether when a thumbnail list described below is displayed.

Next, in step S307, the CPU 111 interrupts reading.

Next, in step S308, the CPU 111 determines whether “the document sizemixed mode” is ON. Information indicating whether “the document sizemixed mode” is ON or OFF is stored in, for example, the RAM 113.

In the above-described step S308, in a case where it is determined thatthe document size mixed mode is ON (ADF 100 is in the document sizemixed mode) (YES in step S308), the CPU 111 advances the processing tostep S313. This case corresponds to a case in which reading is performedin the document size mixed mode, but size detection cannot beappropriately performed. Therefore, in step S313, the CPU 111 prompts auser to instruct continuation or cancellation. Processing in step S313and subsequent steps are described below.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S308, in a case where itis determined that the document size mixed mode is OFF (ADF 100 is notin the document size mixed mode) (NO in step S308), the CPU 111 advancesthe processing to step S309.

In step S309, the CPU 111 determines whether a combination of documentscan be read in “the document size mixed mode” (combination of mixabledocuments). As described above, there is a combination of documentswhich cannot be read in the document size mixed mode due to a limitationof the scanner 117 according to the present exemplary embodiment. Forexample, a combination of A3 and B4 documents can be read in “thedocument size mixed mode”, but a combination of A3 and A4 documentscannot be read in “the document size mixed mode”. The CPU 111 specifiesthe document size of the conveyed document based on “the length in theconveyance direction” used in the above-described step S305 anddetermines whether a combination of the document size and the detectedsize is the combination of mixable documents.

In the above-described step S309, in a case where it is determined notto be the combination of mixable documents (NO in step S309), the CPU111 advances the processing to step S313.

In step S313, the CPU 111 displays a screen including options forconfirming whether to “continue” or “cancel” reading on the operationunit 115 and receives an instruction from the user.

In step S314, the CPU 111 determines whether the instruction to“continue” is received. In a case where it is determined that theinstruction to “continue” is received (YES in step S314), the CPU 111advances the processing to step S315.

On the other hand, in step S314, in a case where it is determined thatthe instruction to “cancel” is received (NO in step S314), the CPU 111terminates the processing in the present flowchart.

In the above-described step S309, in a case where it is determined to bethe combination of mixable documents (YES in step S309), the CPU 111advances the processing to step S310.

In step S310, the CPU 111 displays information for prompting re-readingin the document size mixed mode as exemplified in the pieces of theinformation 207 to 209, 214 and the like in FIG. 2A in the operationunit 115 and receives an instruction from the user. In this regard, theoption of “continue” exemplified as the operation key 208 and the optionof “perform trimming” exemplified as the operation key 214 in FIG. 2Aare displayed.

Next, in step S311, the CPU 111 determines whether re-reading in thedocument size mixed mode is instructed. In a case where it is determinedthat re-reading in the document size mixed mode is instructed (YES instep S311), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S312.

In step S312, the CPU 111 sets the document size mixed mode “ON” andadvances the processing to step S315.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S311, in a case where itis determined that re-reading in the document size mixed mode is notinstructed (NO in step S311), the CPU 111 advances the processing tostep S315. For example, in a case where the instruction to “continue” isreceived (NO in step S311), the CPU 111 directly advances the processingto step S315. Once the instruction to “continue” is received, the CPU111 may skip reception of “an operation for instructing re-reading ofthe document by enabling the document size mixed mode” every time thedocument is read thereafter. In this case, the CPU 111 may performnotification of mixed size documents and enable reception of “theoperation for instructing re-reading of the document by enabling thedocument size mixed mode” after reading all of the documents on thedocument tray 30. In addition, in a case where an instruction to“perform trimming” is received, the CPU 111 advances the processing tostep S315 after image editing processing by trimming.

In step S315, the CPU 111 determines whether there is a next document tobe read on the ADF 100 in the scanner 117. In a case where it isdetermined that there is no next document to be read (NO in step S315),the CPU 111 terminates the processing in the present flowchart.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S315, in a case where itis determined that there is a next document to be read (YES in stepS315), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S316.

In step S316, the CPU 111 determines whether “the document size mixedmode” is “ON”. In a case where it is determined that the document sizemixed mode is “OFF” (NO in step S316), the CPU 111 directly returns theprocessing to step S302.

On the other hand, in step S316, in a case where it is determined that“the document size mixed mode” is “ON” (YES in step S316), the CPU 111advances the processing to step S317.

In step S317, the CPU 111 performs the above-described “document sizedetection in the document size mixed mode” to detect the size of thedocument to be conveyed for each sheet of the documents, defines thedetected document size as “the detected size”, and returns theprocessing to step S302. In the example in which the operation key 215is pressed on the preview screen portion 210 in FIG. 2B, the document isset again on the ADF 100, so that it is determined that there is a nextdocument in the above-described step S315, and reading of the documentis repeated again from the first sheet. In this case, it is determinedthat the document size mixed mode is ON in the above-described step S316each time the document is read, and thus “document size detection in thedocument size mixed mode” is performed. Accordingly, the document sizeis detected for each sheet of the documents, and the second sheet of thedocuments can be read as the appropriate size as exemplified in thepreview screen portion 212 in FIG. 2B. As described above, in a casewhere reading is performed in the size different from the size of thedocument, information regarding the information and a recovery methodare displayed on the screen together with a preview image. In this way,a user can easily recognize the fact that the document is read in thedifferent size, and even a user who does not know a recovery measure caneasily perform the recovery measure.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating operations regarding thumbnaildisplay by the MFP 101. Each operation (step) illustrated in theflowchart in FIG. 4 is implemented by the CPU 111 of the MFP 101 readinga control program stored in the ROM 112 or the storage 114 to the RAM113 and executing the control program.

In step S401, if a thumbnail display instruction is received from theoperation unit 115, the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S402. Itis not illustrated in FIG. 4, but the CPU 111 successively conveys thedocument from the document bundle S on the document tray 30 to read adocument using the ADF 100, and accumulates the read image data(including thumbnail image data) in the storage 114 in parallel with theprocessing in step S401. For example, the CPU 111 performs processing,for example, performed in steps S301 to S303, S305, S306, and S315 toS302 in FIG. 3. The CPU 111 may advance the processing to step S402 inparallel with the document reading processing and may advance theprocessing to step S402 after the document reading processing iscompleted and the image data of all of the documents are accumulated inthe storage 114.

In step S402, the CPU 111 reads the image data accumulated in thestorage 114 (thumbnail image data accumulated in step S303 in FIG. 3).

Next, in step S403, the CPU 111 determines whether the size unmatchinginformation stored in step S306 in FIG. 3 is present with respect to theimage data read in the above-described step S402.

In the above-described step S403, in a case where it is determined thatthe size unmatching information is present (YES in step S403), the CPU111 advances the processing to step S404.

In step S404, the CPU 111 displays information indicating the sizeunmatching information (e.g., an icon 502 in FIG. 5 described below)together with the thumbnail image and advances the processing to stepS406.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S403, in a case where itis determined that the size unmatching information is not present withrespect to the image data read in the above-described step S402 (NO instep S403), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S405. In stepS405, the CPU 111 displays the thumbnail image (size unmatchinginformation is not displayed) and advances the processing to step S406.

In step S406, the CPU 111 determines whether thumbnails are displayedfor all pages.

In a case where it is determined that the thumbnails are not stored forall pages (NO in step S406), the CPU 111 returns the processing to stepS402.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S406, in a case where itis determined that the thumbnails are stored for all pages (YES in stepS406), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S407.

In step S407, the CPU 111 determines whether there is image data causingsize unmatching. In a case where it is determined that there is no imagedata causing size unmatching (NO in step S407), the CPU 111 terminatesthe processing in the present flowchart.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S407, in a case where itis determined that there is image data causing size unmatching (YES instep S407), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S408.

In step S408, the CPU 111 determines a job type. The job type includes“print”, “storage”, and “transmission” as representative ones.

Next, in step S409, the CPU 111 displays a recovery method correspondingto the job type on the operation unit 115. The recovery methodcorresponding to the job type is described below.

The CPU 111 terminates the processing in the present flowchart after theprocessing in step S409, receives a user instruction from the operationunit 115, and executes processing corresponding to the user instruction.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a screen for displaying unmatchinginformation in the thumbnail display displayed on the operation unit 115of the MFP 101.

A thumbnail screen portion 501 is an area for displaying a thumbnail.

The icon 502 indicates that the image data does not coincide with thesize of the original document. The icon 502 is displayed by theprocessing in step S404 in the above-described FIG. 4.

Information 503 indicates which image on thumbnail display does notcoincide with the size of the original document and prompts re-readingin the document size mixed mode as the recovery method. The information503 is displayed by the processing in step S409 in the above-describedFIG. 4. The information 503 is described in detail below.

For example, in a case where the job type is “print”, and “two-sidedprinting” is set, in a situation exemplified in the thumbnail screenportion 501 in FIG. 5, all pages are printed on A3 size sheets. In thissituation, it is not desirable to present only re-reading in thedocument size mixed mode as the recovery method as indicated in theinformation 503. The recovery method corresponding to a content of thejob type is used such as to prompt re-reading in the document size mixedmode after releasing the setting of “two-sided printing” or to promptre-reading in the document size mixed mode after replacing pages.

In a case where the job type is “storage” and “transmission”, it isdesirable to present, for example, only re-reading in the document sizemixed mode as the recovery method.

As described above, the recovery method to be presented is appropriatelyswitched according to which image causes size unmatching in a case wherea thumbnail list is displayed and a type of a job to be performed on theimage data. In this way, a user can easily recognize presence of animage which is read in a different size in documents after reading ofall documents are completed. In addition, a more appropriate recoverymethod corresponding to the job type can be adopted.

The thumbnail display in FIG. 4 may be executed after the previewdisplay in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operations regarding a previewdisplay step by the MFP 101. Each operation (step) illustrated in theflowchart in FIG. 6 is realized by the CPU 111 of the MFP 101 reading acontrol program stored in the ROM 112 or the storage 114 to the RAM 113and executing the control program.

In step S601, in a case where a preview image display instruction isreceived, the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S602. The previewimage display instruction is, for example, an instruction of the previewdisplay in step S304 in FIG. 3.

In step S602, the CPU 111 confirms a size guide display setting. Thesize guide display is to display information indicating the detectedsize and the original document size as “a size guide” by overlaying on apreview image in a case where size unmatching occurs as, for example, apreview screen portion 703 in FIG. 7. The original document size isestimated from “the length of the document detected in the conveyancepath in the scanner 117”, which is used in the determination in stepS305 in FIG. 3. The size estimated here is, for example, a regular size,but may include a user setting size. The size guide display setting ismade by a user and the like and stored in the storage 114.

Next, in step S603, the CPU 111 determines whether the size guidedisplay setting is present (ON). In a case where it is determined thatthe size guide display setting is present (YES in step S603), the CPU111 advances the processing to step S604.

In step S604, the CPU 111 displays a size guide 706 together with apreview image as illustrated in the preview screen portion 703 in FIG. 7and terminates the processing in the present flowchart.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S603, in a case where itis determined that the size guide display setting is not present (OFF)(NO in step S603), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S605.

In step S605, the CPU 111 displays a preview image 702 (size guide isnot displayed) as illustrated in a preview screen portion 701 in FIG. 7and terminates the processing in the present flowchart.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the size guide display according to thepresent exemplary embodiment.

In FIG. 7, the preview screen portion 701 is an example of a screendisplayed in a case where the size guide display setting is not present(OFF).

The preview image 702 is an example of an image displayed in a casewhere, for example, an original document has a B4 size, but the size isdetected as A3. In the preview image 702, it is difficult for a user tounderstand how size unmatching occurs.

The preview screen portion 703 is an example of a screen displayed in acase where the size guide display setting is present (ON).

In a preview image 704, a line 705 indicating the A3 size as the sizeobtained by the size detection and a line 706 indicating the B4 size asthe size estimated from “the length of the document detected in theconveyance path in the scanner 117” are displayed as a size guide byoverlaying on the preview image 704. Accordingly, a user can easilyrecognize how the size unmatching occurs in the preview image 704. Theuser can perform trimming processing by operating the operation key 214for “perform trimming” in FIG. 2A using the size guide 706. At thattime, the user can perform trimming on the read image data to a desiredsize as displayed in the size guide 706 or by performing an operationfor widening or narrowing the size guide 706.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating detailed operations regarding areading interruption step in step S307 in FIG. 3. Each operation (step)illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 8 is implemented by the CPU 111 ofthe MFP 101 reading a control program stored in the ROM 112 or thestorage 114 to the RAM 113 and executing the control program.

The processing in the present flowchart is started with the start of theprocessing in step S307 in FIG. 3.

In step S801, the CPU 111 receives a reading interruption instruction.

Next, in step S802, the CPU 111 determines whether the preview screen(preview screen portions 201, 205, 210, and 212 illustrated in FIGS. 2Aand 2B and the like) is being displayed. The preview screen displayed onthe operation unit 115 can be closed by a user operation from theoperation unit 115. For example, a user can close the preview screenwhen it is determined that confirmation of a preview image is notappropriate.

In the above-described step S802, in a case where it is determined thatthe preview screen is being displayed (YES in step S802), the CPU 111advances the processing to step S803.

In step S803, the CPU 111 interrupts reading of the document andadvances the processing to step S308 in FIG. 3.

On the other hand, in the above-described step S802, in a case where itis determined that the preview screen is not being displayed (closed)(NO in step S802), the CPU 111 advances the processing to step S315 inFIG. 3 and continues the reading processing by the scanner 117 withoutinterrupting reading.

In a case where the preview screen is closed, this fact indicates thatthe user does not confirm the preview image, and it can be consideredthat the user is not near the MFP 101. Therefore, in a case where thepreview screen is closed, the CPU 111 performs control to continue thereading processing by the scanner 117 without interrupting reading. Itis not illustrated, but the CPU 111 skips “preview display” in step S304in FIG. 3 in a case where the preview screen is closed.

As described above, the present exemplary embodiment enables a user toeasily recognize that documents having different sizes are mixed andread, and a part of image data has a size different from the documentsize. Further, the present exemplary embodiment can guide a user whodoes not know the document size mixed mode as the recovery method toperform re-reading of the document by switching to the document sizemixed mode. In other words, a user who does not know the document sizemixed mode as the recovery method can understand that the user only hasto perform re-reading of the document by switching to the document sizemixed mode.

In a case where it is determined that there is a possibility thatdocuments having different sizes are mixed and read, the MFP 101 maynotify a user of the fact by displaying information like the information207 in FIG. 2A, shift to the document size mixed mode without displayingthe operation key 208 in FIG. 2A, shift to the preview screen 210 inFIG. 2B, and execute re-reading of the document.

Conventionally, in a case where a document in mixed size documents isread in a size different from a document size by the scanner, it isdifficult for a user to notice size unmatching only from a preview imageand to understand a recovery method for the size unmatching. Incontrast, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the MFP 101displays, together with a preview image, a situation in which sizeunmatching occurs and the recovery method for the size unmatching, andthus can notify a user of the occurrence of the size unmatching in aneasily understandable manner and navigate the user to the recoverymethod in an easily understandable manner. In this way, a user who doesnot know presence of the document size mixed mode and a user who doesnot know how to use the document size mixed mode can perform re-readingof the document using the document size mixed mode.

Configurations and contents of the above-described various data are notlimited to the above-described ones and may be configured in variousways according to applications and purposes.

Various exemplary embodiments are described above, but embodiments canbe implemented in various forms such as a system, an apparatus, amethod, a program, and a storage medium. Specifically, the presentdisclosure can be applied to a system configured with a plurality ofdevices, or can be applied to an apparatus configured with a singledevice.

In addition, combinations of the above-described exemplary embodimentsare all included as embodiments.

Other Embodiments

Embodiment(s) can also be realized by a computer of a system orapparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions(e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which mayalso be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits(e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performingthe functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or morecircuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g.,central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and mayinclude a network of separate computers or separate processors to readout and execute the computer executable instructions. The computerexecutable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example,from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include,for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), aread only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, anoptical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD),or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and thelike.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image reading apparatus having a detection function to detect respective sizes of a plurality of documents stacked on a document stacking tray, comprising: a display; a reader; at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor executing the instructions causing the image reading apparatus to: receive a reading instruction based on an operation on a start key, wherein, according to the reading instruction, the reader reads the plurality of documents stacked on the document stacking tray and successively conveyed; in a case where there is a difference in respective sizes of at least two documents of the plurality of read documents and a function of performing reading corresponding to respective size of the plurality of documents is disabled when the reading instruction has been received, notify a user of a possibility that documents having different sizes are mixed and read, and provide navigation for prompting enabling the function and then re-reading of the plurality of documents.
 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the image reading apparatus to: detect a length in a conveyance direction of each of the plurality of documents in a conveyance path of the document, and wherein the difference is determined according to the length in the conveyance direction of each of the plurality of documents.
 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the navigation includes an option for skipping an operation for enabling the function and instructing re-reading of the document at a timing at which the navigation is provided, and enabling the function to perform re-reading of the document after all of the plurality of documents are read.
 4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the navigation is provided only in a case where the plurality of documents includes a combination of document sizes readable by using the function.
 5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the combination is a combination of document sizes in which a size in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the document are different.
 6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the combination includes at least any of a combination of A3 and B4, a combination of A3 and B5, a combination of B4 and A4, a combination of A4 and B5, a combination of A4R and B5, a combination of B4 and A4R, a combination of B4 and A5, a combination of B5 and A5, a combination of ledger and legal, a combination of ledger and folio, and a combination of ledger and half letter.
 7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the navigation provides a different content according to a type of a job including reading of the document.
 8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preview screen is displayed including a size guide of a regular size corresponding to a size of the read document or a size guide of a user setting size in an overlapping manner on the image corresponding to the read document.
 9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an image corresponding to the read document is editable using the size guide.
 10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the image reading apparatus to display a preview screen on the display, and wherein the possibility that documents having different sizes are mixed and read is notified on the preview screen.
 11. A method for an image reading apparatus including a display, a reader and a detection function to detect respective sizes of a plurality of documents stacked on a document stacking tray, the method comprising: receiving a reading instruction based on an operation on a start key, wherein, according to the reading instruction, the reader reads the plurality of documents stacked on the document stacking tray and successively conveyed; in a case where there is a difference in respective sizes of at least two documents of the plurality of read documents and a function of performing reading corresponding to respective size of the plurality of documents is disabled when the reading instruction has been received, notifying a user of a possibility that documents having different sizes are mixed and read, and providing navigation for prompting enabling the function and then re-reading of the plurality of documents. 